Community workers praise ASBO police

By Rosie Lavan

ST. GEORGE'S community workers have praised the police Safer Neighbourhood Team for its work tackling anti-social behaviour in the ward – but said there was more to be done.


The Safer Neighbourhood Team, which consists of one sergeant, two PCs and three Community Support Officers, aims to offer local people an approachable point of contact for concerns about crime in the area.

The team hold surgeries twice a month in St George’s and All Saints Church and the Hilldrop Community Centre.


Bob Drinkwater, who runs the Community Centre, said that since the team’s introduction in January this year the police “seem to be back on the right track.”

Although anti-social behaviour in the area is “coming and going” Mr Drinkwater said there had been a “huge improvement” in recent years, and that the SNT were the most recent sign of this.
He said: “Until 1999 or 2000 outside the community centre we had prostitution, cars and motorbikes stolen and set fire to, the building was vandalised as if it was under attack – it was really bad.”


Melanie Toogood, vicar at St George’s and All Saints, said the Safer Neighbourhood Team were “very visible”.

“They have a high profile and do get involved.”


Reverend Toogood said that when she arrived two years ago there were major problems with graffiti and drug abuse outside the church.

Shortly before her arrival the church was broken into and set alight.

But while she acknowledged improvements in anti-social behaviour since the Safer Neighbourhood Team took on the beat, she said the issue had not gone away.

PC John Ireland of the St George’s Safer Neighbourhood Team said that different residents would have different experiences of anti-social behaviour.

“It all comes down to personal perceptions. It’s a very geographical thing as well – some persons will have particular problems and a person in the next street will have no problems at all.”

PC Ireland said the Safer Neighbourhood scheme seemed to be working well, but the problem the police faced at the moment was “getting their message across”.